Italy - Factors to watch on March 27

Reuters has not verified the newspaper reports, and cannot vouch for their accuracy. New items are marked with (*).

For a complete list of diary events in Italy please click on .

DEBT

Treasury announces sale of BTP and CCTeu bonds, with relative amounts to be auctioned on March 30.

COMPANIES

FINCANTIERI

The Italian shipbuilding group said on Friday it had 74.45 percent of Vard shares, through its unit Fincantieri Oil& Gas, at the end of a takeover offer, launched on November 13.

INTESA SANPAOLO

Italy's biggest retail bank to hold a board meeting on Tuesday to discuss the sale of more than 15 billion euros of non-performing loans to bring the ratio of its NPLs to some 10.5 pct of all loans from the current 14.7 pct, Il Sole 24 Ore reported on Sunday.

PARMALAT

France's Lactalis said on Sunday it held 89.594 percent of Parmalat following a recent buyout offer, just below the 90 percent stake needed to be able to delist the Italian food company. It confirmed that it would extend the buyout offer by a further five working days, from March 29 to April 4.

(*) UBI BANCA

CEO Victor Massiah reiterated in an interview with L'Economia on Monday that weak revenues and rising costs would push Italian banks towards further consolidation. He said UBI was a buyer but added current market valuations made Italian banks a cheap target for foreign rivals.

(*) AUTOGRILL

CEO Mario Tondato da Ruos told L'Economia on Monday that the group would grow by 5-7 percent in coming years without taking into account possible acquisitions which were "part of the company's DNA." He ruled out Autogrill may consider a spin-off and a sale of its HSM Host unit.

AC MILAN

Chinese investors set to buy AC Milan have created a new company structure in Luxembourg to finalise acquisition of the Serie A soccer club, a spokesman for the consortium said on Saturday. Il Sole 24 Ore said on Sunday U.S. hedgefund Elliot will help finance the operation.